Operazione Colomba is in Colombia since 2009, when it responded to a direct call from the Peace Community of San Josè de Apartadò, located in Antioquia-Cordoba departments. Its members are determined to resist in a nonviolent way and be neutral towards any armed group (governmental army, guerrilla and paramilitary groups).
Operazione Colomba volunteers permanently live in the community's villages. They share daily risks with the local population, contributing to reduce violence and forced displacements, accompanying previously displaced people in their way back to their lands, protecting members coming from humanitarian areas thus enabling them to carry on their daily activities and to meet other Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) who work throughout the country with the same nonviolent strategies.
The humanitarian areas are alternative spaces within the conflict where arms and violence are not allowed and members work to organize and develop civilian and peaceful resistance through solidarity and respect for life. They are not only physical spaces, but the demonstration that there is a chance for civilians - many of whom are war victims - to demand respect from oppressors and violent actors. Civilian victims reject the passive role imposed on them, becoming leading actors of their destiny in order to find nonviolent and lasting solutions. The main problems they face are the presence of legal and illegal armed groups (“neo-paramilitares”), defamation by local institutions and media, corruption of institutions and collusion with armed groups.
The Peace Community of San José de Apartadó is one of the most concrete and effective experience of humanitarian area, founded in 1997, March 23rd, in consequence of two massacres committed by the army. It is headed by an Internal Council composed by 8 members who are the target of violent attacks due to their recognized role of environmental leaders and HRDs.
Moreover, the Peace Community openly challenges an economic model based on human and environmental exploitation by showing that a respectful lifestyle for human beings and nature is possible. This is why its members produce cocoa from organic farming and sell harvest through fair trade.
Civilian population who chose to continue living on its own land and working in harmony with the environment needs a daily presence of protection, accompaniment and monitoring to ensure the respect for human rights and reduce the impact of violence. Operazione Colomba presence promotes safe conditions for the members of the Peace Community who daily work the land and for natural resources-related rights. Volunteers cooperate with local HRDs and communities, sharing strategies, organizing accompaniments and implementing advocacy activities to make local HRDs voices and experiences heard.
In 2016, November 24th, the Colombian Government and the FARC signed the New Peace Agreement after a 4-year negotiations which officially marked the end of 50 years of civil war. It has been a historical step, but, unfortunately, we cannot say that it has brought peace to Colombia. Despite the signing of the Agreements, the civilian population, especially in rural areas, still lives under the constant threat of violence due to the persistent presence of neo-paramilitary groups and ELN guerrillas. The spiral of violence increased because neo-paramilitary groups took control of the areas left by the FARC. In spite of peace agreements, HRDs became the main objective of a dramatic escalation of murders committed by illegal armed groups since 2016. In all the country, the killings of social leaders, indigenous people, Human Rights and environmental Defenders have increased so much that today Colombia is considered the most dangerous country in the world for HRDs. The victims are usually engaged in issues related to the peace process, land restitution and participation policies in rural areas. It is clear that the struggle for territorial control remains crucial in the armed conflict dynamics.
OPERAZIONE COLOMBA
